Saskatchewan municipalities concerned about mental health and addiction

Smaller communities across Saskatchewan say they don't have the resources to deal with the mental health and addiction issues that have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Saskatchewan emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, many communities represented at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) convention are expressing concern about mental health and addiction across the province.

“It’s as important as having roads in Saskatchewan. So unfortunately we need the money and we need it now. We need it implemented. We have to start saving some lives here,” said Yorkton Mayor Mitch Hippsley.

The latest provincial budget includes $470 million directed towards mental health and addiction with $403 million of that directed to mental health and $67 million designated to addictions.

With that funding the government hopes to create 150 treatment spaces across Saskatchewan in the coming years, as smaller communities say resources in just Saskatoon and Regina aren’t enough.

“Realistically if you go to our hospital in Humboldt if you have mental health issues, they aren’t capable of treating you. They’re not trained to treat you so they will patch you up and send you home and tell you to call the mental health helpline,” said Humboldt Mayor Michael Behiel.

“On average there is a nine- to 18-month wait for those services and they’re not available in our community.”

“We need the services, we need those doctors, we need the treatment programs but also we need those proactive activities that can stop some of that before it gets to the crisis and before that treatment is needed,” said SUMA Interim President Randy Goulden.

The issue of mental health and addiction has only been amplified by a pandemic that forced people away from their social routines and into isolation.